Abstract
The number of elite female athletes have been increasing in international championships. However, women still face more obstacles than men in accessing and developing a career in elite sports. Specifically, the Brazilian Women’s Basketball Team has been experiencing structural difficulties and has not won a place in the 2024 Olympic Games. Understanding the variables that interfere with women’s opportunities in elite basketball may contribute to women sport development in the country. The objective of this study was to identify the reasons that lead women to give up their professional basketball careers in Brazil. From an online questionnaire answered by 28 women (M= 32.5±8.35 years), descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis, we identified that the state of São Paulo stood out as the main region for sports initiation and most participants completed higher education. The need to work and study were strong influences for giving up professional sport, highlighting possible financial issues. In addition, the relationship with the coach and the limited offer of sports programs were pointed out by respondents as important motivations in the decision to follow a different professional path, indicating interpersonal issues as well. These aspects are accentuated by the lack of structural investments in basketball in Brazil. Investments in policies that include structural improvements, financial support for athletes, and coach development programs may contribute to increase opportunities for women to pursue a career in elite basketball.
